11 August 2025, Batroun, Lebanon – On 31 July, Lebanon officially launched the National Drowning Prevention Awareness Campaign, a joint initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Public Health. The launch event, held at the Marine Sciences and Technology Institute (MARSATI) in Batroun, brought together government officials, public health experts, civil society representatives and other key stakeholders. Drowning, often referred to by WHO as a silent epidemic, claims more than 300 000 lives globally each year, including over 35 000 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Lebanon has already recorded more than 40 drowning-related deaths in 2025 – a reminder of the urgent need for coordinated national action. A recent study by Dr Samar El Hajj from the American University of Beirut, using data from the Internal Security Forces, shed light on the scope and patterns of drowning incidents in Lebanon: 86% of victims are male; over half are under the age of 18; 62% of...